From Tony John, Port Harcourt
About 20 are feared to have drowned when a landing jetty at Isaka in Okrika Local Government Area in Rivers State, collapsed.
The incident happened yesterday evening as passengers were struggling to board the boat from the community back to Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.
An eyewitness, who gave himself as Isaac Walter, said more than 70 passengers had queued up to board a boat to Port Harcourt when the jetty caved in.
It was gathered that there was a big burial programme that attracted many people to the area and that the population had caused the rush for the boat.
Sunday Sun gathered that over 80 people were on the jetty which put heavy weight on the old, rickety facility. It was further learnt that when the jetty caved in, all the passengers on it fell into the river.
Walter, a resident of the area, narrated that many persons had not been found since the accident.
“Today, we had burial programme at Isaka and a lot of people were in attendance. On our way back, people came to board the vessel at the jetty.